Page 1 of 1 After using the Lotus Racing and Team Lotus banners in 2010 and 2011 respectively, the Tony Fernandes run 1Malaysia Racing Team settled on Caterham F1 in 2012 after acquiring a majority stake in Caterham Cars in November of 2011. Further changes during the winter included a move to the Leafield Technical Centre where Arrows and Super Aguri had also been based. On the personnel there were initially fewer changes with designer Mike Gascoyne and drivers Jarno Trulli and Heiki Kovalainen remaining loyal to the team. After the first test of the season, however, Trulli was replaced by Vitaly Petrov.

Dubbed the CT01, Caterham's first Formula 1 car was an evolution of the Renault engined T128 used during the 2011 season. The most significant change was the adoption of a KERS hybrid system, supplied by Red Bull Racing, which also provided the seven-speed gearbox. A tweak in the aero-regulations, stipulating the maximum height of the nose, prompted Gascoyne to add a stepped nose to the car. Despite the new identity of the team, the green and yellow livery used during the previous seasons was once again carried over.

From the outset it was clear that the biggest rivals for the Caterham F1 team were going to be the other two 'new' teams Marussia and HRT. The objective was finishing 10th in the constructor's championship, which would be awarded with a piece of the prize fund. Despite being perceived as the best organised outfit of the three, Caterham struggled early on in the season. The coveted 10th place position was not guaranteed until the final race of the season when Vitaly Petrov recorded the team's best finish of 11th. That was enough to beat Marussia, who had managed no better than 12th. Page 1 of 1